CGC is now grading Digests and Paperbacks 2 2

[Dr. Love]

On 8/30/2024 at 6:49 AM, Cool Ghoul said:

Matt Nelson told me at HeroesCon this year that CGC will soon be grading traditional paperbacks.  The cases will be more conducive to paperback sizes -- much like CGC is doing with their pulp holders.  He said to expect the introduction to be end of this year or more likely sometime in early 2025.  So it is in the pipeline.

You speak about the cases. What did not change with respect to the pulp cases (as compared to the comic cases - magazine cases are a different size of course) was the length and width.  What did change was the introduction of another deeper case and of course - the inner well.

I cant imagine cgc rolling out a different sized case for paperbacks/digests. But moving to an inner well and away from their past 3 wedge system is what I believe they're doing.

Did Matt specifically say a smaller case (that is, smaller in length and width) was on the table?

Edited September 3 by Dr. Love

[jimjum12]

On 9/2/2024 at 6:31 PM, Dr. Love said:

Did Matt specifically say a smaller case was on the table?

I sure hope so, but I see your point re: materials overhead. If they have the same supplier for coin, card, and periodical slabs, it may come down to a simple volume per model unit concern. As a Corporate entity now, they have the luxury of what Phar More used to call "power buying". GOD BLESS ... 

-jimbo(a friiend of jesus)

I've yet to actually see a pulp slab in hand, heck, we only recently got electricity here in redneckville. I'd assumed they were slightly smaller, lapsing over what "they" say about assuming.

[Cool Ghoul]

On 9/2/2024 at 6:31 PM, Dr. Love said:

You speak about the cases. What did not change with respect to the pulp cases (as compared to the comic cases - magazine cases are a different size of course) was the length and width.  What did change was the introduction of another deeper case and of course - the inner well.

I cant imagine cgc rolling out a different sized case for paperbacks/digests. But moving to an inner well and away from their past 3 wedge system is what I believe they're doing.

Did Matt specifically say a smaller case (that is, smaller in length and width) was on the table?

Matt did tell me the cases would be smaller to accomodate traditional paperback sizes, and not merely sticking a paperback in a larger/thicker case (like a pulp magazine).  I specifically referenced this to him as I showed him some of my CGC-graded pulp books (cases look great), and I asked him if they would they be considering doing the same for paperbacks.  Without blinking an eye, he said they had been already working on it. 

I have some near-perfect, rare paperbacks that I would love to slab just to protect them.  Anyway, he did note that the new case size was the only hold up on introduction to the market and that my question had been asked to him many times.  

[Robot Man]

Next up… Boxes to hold CGC PBs. Collectors are anal. They want everything nice and neat.

I have said PBs are heating up. But I have yet to see them at jaw dropping prices in big auction houses. This will obviously produce an onslaught of PB grading for CGC.

I still don’t see enough PB collectors right now to support ramping up to grading them.

I’m still waiting for that onslaught of BLB collectors…

[Bookery]

On 9/4/2024 at 11:02 AM, Robot Man said:

I’m still waiting for that onslaught of BLB collectors…

It depends... are both of them enough to be considered an onslaught? 

[Bookery]

On 9/4/2024 at 11:02 AM, Robot Man said:

I still don’t see enough PB collectors right now to support ramping up to grading them.

Hard to say over time... there are certainly enough paperbacks, if not collectors of paperbacks.  I would guess that there are more old paperbacks lying around out there than there are comics and pulps combined.  But will slabbing them create a new interest in them?  There will never be the enthusiasm for them that there is for comics.  But it's possible there could be more ultimate interest than in pulps.  Pulps are just hard enough to obtain (aside from a few runs) that it can be discouraging for newcomers. 

Plus, there are plenty of people alive today who bought (or are still buying) paperbacks off the stands.  Not too many original pulp buyers still out there.  One of the (big) hurdles is the need for a comprehensive database (like Galactic Central does for magazines), which would include different printings, changes in cover art, lamination or no lamination, even printing identifiers (such as with the back-of-the-book ads in early Avons, not unlike the HRNs for Classics Illustrated).  Images are also crucial.  Collectors need to know what's out there to begin with before they can search for them.

[Dr. Love]

On 9/4/2024 at 10:45 AM, Bookery said:

One of the (big) hurdles is the need for a comprehensive database (like Galactic Central does for magazines), which would include different printings, changes in cover art, lamination or no lamination, even printing identifiers (such as with the back-of-the-book ads in early Avons, not unlike the HRNs for Classics Illustrated).  Images are also crucial.  Collectors need to know what's out there to begin with before they can search for them.

can't say how comprehensive this is but 

https://www.bookscans.com/Database.htm

 

[Robot Man]

On 9/4/2024 at 10:36 AM, Bookery said:

It depends... are both of them enough to be considered an onslaught? 

Well, consider me a third. I don’t “collect” them per se. I am a “buyer of opportunity” usually high grade ones found out at flea markets and such. I can’t remember many I have paid much more than $10. for. I still enjoy paging through them and looking at the spines on a shelf. Guess I am a dinosaur…

[Robot Man]

On 9/4/2024 at 10:45 AM, Bookery said:

Hard to say over time... there are certainly enough paperbacks, if not collectors of paperbacks.  I would guess that there are more old paperbacks lying around out there than there are comics and pulps combined.  But will slabbing them create a new interest in them?  There will never be the enthusiasm for them that there is for comics.  But it's possible there could be more ultimate interest than in pulps.  Pulps are just hard enough to obtain (aside from a few runs) that it can be discouraging for newcomers. 

Plus, there are plenty of people alive today who bought (or are still buying) paperbacks off the stands.  Not too many original pulp buyers still out there.  One of the (big) hurdles is the need for a comprehensive database (like Galactic Central does for magazines), which would include different printings, changes in cover art, lamination or no lamination, even printing identifiers (such as with the back-of-the-book ads in early Avons, not unlike the HRNs for Classics Illustrated).  Images are also crucial.  Collectors need to know what's out there to begin with before they can search for them.

PBs like Pulps, are mostly collected by today’s collectors for the covers. Sadly, actual readers are really in the minority. I don’t see “page turning” coming back in the future. But then again, I never say the vinyl boom coming.

What will really propel PBs are higher prices maybe due to third party grading.

A month or so ago, I found a guy with a large box of ‘40’s-‘50’s PBs at the flea market. I was quickly snatching the nice Avons, Dell Mapbacks and GGA for a couple bucks each. Was excited as I rarely see them. A couple younger comic flipper regulars were looking at me like I had 3 eyes. Same guys who were doing the same thing with Pulps a year or so ago. Forgive them Father because they just don’t know…

Once they start getting slabbed and bring some decent money, they will be elbowing me out of the way.

But, I have ALWAYS been a forward thinker…

[Bookery]

On 9/4/2024 at 2:43 PM, Dr. Love said:

can't say how comprehensive this is but 

https://www.bookscans.com/Database.htm

 

It's a great site.  A paperback collector would want to combine this with the last Holroyd guide (which came out clear back in 2003!) to be able to have a grasp of the field.

A huge amount of work went into the bookscans site.  That said, it could use bigger scans.  And there's no data... just pictures.  Nothing to denote that the Gold Medal you are staring at is a 2nd or 3rd printing.  No info on cover artists, etc.  No way to sort by author.  What makes the Galactic Central site so invaluable is that it not only has the scans, but breakdowns on content, cover artists (when known), and can be searched for author or cross-referenced for pseudonyms.  (However, even it doesn't have extra data such as 1st appearances or other such info that can be useful to collectors).  Also, neither bookscans nor Holroyd get into the more modern paperbacks that have become highly collectible from the '70s and '80s, such as some of the horror-movie tie-ins, etc.).  

[Ryan.]

I've been waiting a long time for CGC to start officially grading paperbacks...

[The-Collector]

I asked CGC, their offical answer: "After review, our graders confirmed, if the books are in fact considered Pulps OR if they are in a comic format we will encapsulate them. Not all paperbacks qualify under these distinctions however. Thanks for checking!" Seems like the Reform School Girl might just be one that slipped through the cracks. 

 

 

[jimjum12]

On 9/9/2024 at 10:25 AM, The-Collector said:

I asked CGC, their offical answer: "After review, our graders confirmed, if the books are in fact considered Pulps OR if they are in a comic format we will encapsulate them. Not all paperbacks qualify under these distinctions however. Thanks for checking!" Seems like the Reform School Girl might just be one that slipped through the cracks. 

 

 

I believe Matt was referring to plans for the future. Reform School Girl has already been associated with its comic counterpart, so no surprise there. They may phase them in, as the processes already exist. They would certainly not grow exponentially, but with some cross training, a debut may not be that disruptive to their dynamic. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) 

[Robot Man]

So yes or no on Reform School Girl? I doubt I would grade any of my PBs, but this is one I would consider if I could. 

[jimjum12]

On 9/9/2024 at 10:56 AM, Robot Man said:

So yes or no on Reform School Girl? I doubt I would grade any of my PBs, but this is one I would consider if I could. 

The Diversity edition of 1948 has one in the census at CGC 3.5. It sold for $750? That would be a very wise slabbing. I would imagine they will roll out slowly .... for example, something like Dune or Atlas Shrugged, or even Left Hand Of Darkness are all fatties. PBs that exceed an inch in thickness may require some viability studies, at least. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)